Products Designed to Work in Harmony with the Environment

Our Company continues investing in research and development of products that help consumers care for the environment while growing beautiful lawns and gardens. Research and development scientists follow a rigorous process to continuously develop, test and bring to market products that help conserve water, have lower risk profiles and enable more targeted application.

Following are some of the product-related achievements our R&D investments have yielded in the past several years:

Formulation

In 2016 the Ortho® brand announced its decision to phase out neonicotinoid active ingredients from its outdoor garden control products. We immediately began expanding alternative active ingredients and are on track to phase out all neonics from these products by 2021.

In Florida Scotts® introduced new 50% slow-release nitrogen lawn food products throughout the entire state to help consumers play a role in protecting their state’s critical water resources. Our slow-release formulations help ensure nutrients are released as lawns need them. This helps reduce nutrient runoff and the need for frequent reapplication while still ensuring plants stay healthy.

Natural and Organic

The Nature’s Care® product line launched in 2015. This line of plant food, soil mixes and pest controls offers gardeners natural and organic alternatives to conventional products. We launched a natural and organic line of pest controls under the Ortho® brand in 2017, including an essential-oil based candle that repels mosquitoes more effectively than traditional citronella.

Also in 2017, our Company introduced a natural Tomcat® rodent repellent spray that proves effective at keeping rodents away without harmful effects.

Water Protection and Conservation

Protecting water—both the quality and quantity available—continues to be a priority consideration for our research and development scientists. In 2015 Scotts® introduced the EveryDrop Water Maximizer™ to help consumers facing drought conditions in their communities. This product reduces the amount of water needed to keep lawns and gardens healthy and helps prevent runoff.

In 2016 Scotts® acquired the Blossom smart watering system and began building out a full line of water-efficient products to help consumers reduce water waste. These include a next-gen smart irrigation controller, drip irrigation kits, sprinklers and sprayers.

Scotts® also introduced the Wizz™ handheld spreader, complementing our traditional spreader devices. Like our larger spreaders, it comes equipped with our patented Edgeguard® technology designed to keep fertilizer off sidewalks and driveways and out of waterways, helping keep them clean and healthy.

Hydroponics

Dedicated to empowering more people to garden no matter where and how they choose to grow, the Hawthorne Gardening Company expanded its hydroponic product offerings rapidly in the past three years. In 2016 Hawthorne acquired General Hydroponics and in 2017 added a majority stake in Gavita to its family of brands. Indoor hydroponic growing can have the following environmental benefits:*

Up to 50% less land space required for growing

90% less water required to grow plants

60% less fertilizer needed

Hydroponic growing can also reduce food insecurity by enabling more people in more places, such as urban food deserts, to grow their own food.

Recycling

We reuse 5 billion pounds of “green waste” – from forestry, agriculture, and residential yards – every year in our products. If stacked on a regulation football field, the pile of recycled material would be over a mile high.

Pesticide Safety

For more than a century we have earned consumer trust by providing high-quality products that help gardeners grow thriving gardens and landscapes. This includes offering products that control pests and diseases and protect lawn, garden and landscape investments. Learn more about our commitment to pesticide safety.